In 2011, archaeologists unearthed one of the most—if not the most—original dinosaur fossils: an almost complete ankylosaurusWith its rough nails, most of its limbs, shields and guts. However, the most surprising detail was that the fossil had an unusually well-preserved face and skin.
Mark Mitchell, a technician at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, took more than 7,000 hours and nearly six years to unearth the fossil. This opens on a type of ankylosaur – named after him: Borealopelta markmitchelli.
Mitchell said in an interview with Ars Technicadescribing the painstaking process.
“Before Christmas, both sides of the neck and head were assembled.”
Ankylosaurus (Ankylosaurus) is a genus of ornithischian dinosaurs that lived in the late Cretaceous period, 66.5-65.5 million years ago, in North America. They were large herbivorous armored dinosaurs. Although no complete skeleton has ever been found, Ankylosaurus is considered an archetype of the armored dinosaur.
According to estimates, Ankylosaurus reached 8 to 9 meters in length and 4 to 7 tons in weight. A re-description based on the largest skull ever found places its maximum length at 6.25 metres.
The most obvious feature of Ankylosaurus is its carapace, which covered the dinosaur’s body and consisted of bone spikes and plates.
Even his eyelids had protective plates of bone. They also had a bony club at the tip of their tail for added protection which weighed 30 kg. Because of its size and armor, the ankylosaurus was a difficult prey.
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